Winners of the BeachCup 2026: Team Zogi
D – On June 27, 2026, one of the hottest days of the year, 25 teams from all over Europe gathered in Ketsch for this year’s CyberGroup Beach Cup.
Amid exceptional weather conditions of around 40°C (104°F), the health and safety of the participants was paramount, so the event concept was adapted to the weather without compromising the spirit of the cup. Simon Merkel and Florian Stindl’s team provided additional shaded areas, water features, paddling pools and other options for cooling down, creating an impressive summer setting. Ice-cold drinks and barbecue stations ensured that the participants could relax in the shade. In addition, the matches of the preliminary round were shortened from twelve down to ten minutes and the breaks were extended to give the teams ample time to recover and cool down.
Not only the athletes, but also the technical team also delivered outstanding performances, ensuring the smooth running of the event by, among other things, using cool packs on the speakers to actively cool the equipment.
Great atmosphere at the cyberGroup BeachCup 2026.
The participating teams decided themselves during the course of the event to continue the main round, round by round, as the temperatures didn’t dampen their enjoyment whatsoever. In the two-set final, Zogi asserted itself against Kalfany with great effort, fairness and passion. Inspirion completed the podium in third place. Simon Merkel, Head of Event & Organisation at cyber-Wear, confirmed that the conditions could have been adjusted at any time: “Our goal was never to push the tournament through at all costs. Our aim was to create a safe environment in which sport, interaction and community remained possible. The fact that the teams stuck to our course, consciously opting to continue playing round by round demonstrates the special spirit of the Beach Cup. We are incredibly proud of that.”
Numerous conversations were held in between and after the matches, allowing for networking, laughter and shared celebrations, giving the organisers every reason to be highly satisfied at the end of the day: “The Beach Cup has always been much more than just a volleyball tournament. It is a meeting place for our industry, for partners, customers and friends. This exceptionally hot weekend, in particular, demonstrated what makes our community so special: Responsibility, mutual respect and solidarity. No one insisted on competing at all costs. Instead, we found solutions together and ultimately experienced exactly what the Beach Cup is all about – bringing people together. The final was a fantastic sporting event, but even more impressive for me was the community spirit today,” said Steven Baumgaertner, CEO of cyber-Wear.
